Attorney-Advisor (General) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. USTR-EOP-12568159-25-TW Department Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Salary $147,649.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/7/2024 Close Date 10/22/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Executive Office of the President (EOP), Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Office of General Counsel. Serves as Deputy General Counsel for Negotiations, Legislation, and Administrative Law in the office of the General Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Duties

As an Attorney-Advisor (General), ES-905-00, your typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Develops major trade legislative proposals to be made by the Administration.
  • Negotiates acceptable draft legislation with the staffs of relevant Committees of the Congress.
  • Advises the United States Trade Representative and other senior officials of the agency on a broad range of legal, ethics, and transparency issues.
  • Drafts legal opinions, interprets domestic law and bilateral and multilateral agreements with respect to major economic matters for the United States Trade Representative, and prepares analytical papers for consideration by the President and Cabinet level officials.
  • Manages, coordinates, and supervises the activities of the office under the direction of the General Counsel.
  • Supports the General Counsel in developing and evaluating appropriate systems, policies, and procedures.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • Selective Service registration is required if you are a male born after December 31, 1959.
  • Be at least 18 years old and obtain a favorable security determination.
  • Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
  • Direct Deposit is required.
  • RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE PAID.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • A one-year SES probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess all of the Executive Core Qualifications and Professional/Technical Qualifications listed. These qualifications would typically be acquired through education, senior level experience, and training which reflect progressive development and achievement in leading and managing a comprehensive program in a complex organization.

Qualification Requirements: You must submit a separate narrative statement that addresses each of the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) related to this position as well as the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) related to all positions in the Senior Executive Service.

Your narrative statements should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification. Structure your statements in terms of the action taken, the context or environment in which the action was taken, and the outcome or results from such actions. You should write each statement with the vacancy in mind as all qualifications are directly related to the position being filled. If you do not submit a separate statement addressing the ECQs and MTQs, you will not receive consideration for the position.

MANDATORY EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): You must address each technical qualification separately. You are required to respond to all technical qualifications. Failure to do so will result in an incomplete application and you will be rated as 'ineligible.' Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following MTQs:

MTQ 1: Describe your knowledge of laws, regulations, and Executive Orders pertaining to international trade and related matters.

MTQ 2: Describe your understanding of key bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral trade agreements to which the United States is a party, especially the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement) and the multilateral and plurilateral agreements that are part of the WTO Agreement, U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs), and bilateral investment treaties.

MTQ 3: Describe your ability, and experience in leading, multi-party trade negotiations, including chairing interagency groups, and serving as a lead subject-matter negotiator.

MTQ 4: Describe your experience, ability, and recognition as a lead attorney in the oversight, coordination, and drafting of major legislative and negotiating initiatives in the trade area on behalf of the Administration and proven ability to work effectively with relevant agency lawyers, the private
sector, and Congressional staff and Members.

MTQ 5: Describe yourexperience in successfully chairing ad hoc and permanent interagency groups charged with the identification and resolution of complex and contentious legal issues in the trade area and in taking the lead in successfully negotiating constructive solutions to such issues in both one-on-one and group settings.

Please limit your narrative statements to 10 pages (one and a half pages per factor). Each ECQ should contain at least two examples describing your experiences and accomplishments/results.

For further information and tips on writing effective narrative statements, see OPM's publication 'A Guide to SES Qualifications available on the OPM website at: http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2010.pdf.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Mandatory Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the SES under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five executive core qualifications. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and potential, not technical expertise. They measure whether an individual has the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions. Your narrative must address each ECQ separately and should contain one or two examples per ECQ describing your experiences and accomplishments/results. The narrative should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives undertaken and the results of your actions. Applicants should not enter "Refer to Resume" to describe your experiences. Applications directing the reviewer to search within the application or to see the resume are considered incomplete and may not receive further consideration. The narrative must not exceed 10 pages.

Note: If you are a member of the SES, have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certificate of Completion of SESCDP) of your eligibility for appointment to the SES.

THERE ARE FIVE (5) EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs):

ECQ 1: Leading Change - This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

ECQ 2: Leading People - This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

ECQ 3: Results Driven - This core qualification involves the ability to meet organization goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

ECQ 4: Business Acumen - This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 5: Building Coalitions - This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

Note: If you are a current/former Career SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), you do not need to address the ECQs. You must attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certificate of Completion of SESCDP) of your eligibility for appointment to the SES. Failure to submit the required documents will require submission of the ECQs.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. (Include in your resume the month and year in which you obtained your degree and the name of the College or University from which it was conferred/awarded.)

Additional information

The actual salary will be set by determining the appropriate SES level for the person selected. For more information regarding the SES, go to www.opm.gov/ses.

If not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by a Qualifications Review Board of the Office of Personnel Management before appointment to this position and will be required to serve a one-year probationary period in this position.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements.

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Main_Page

Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.

ICTAP/CTAP does not apply to the Senior Executive Service.???????

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Office of Administration's Human Resources Management Division will review all applications to determine if applicants meet the mandatory professional/technical qualifications of this position and the SES ECQs. Those who meet the qualifications will be referred to a panel of SES members for rating and ranking to determine the "best qualified" candidates. The panel may conduct interviews with the top candidates and then make a recommendation to the selecting official about the top candidates that he/she should interview.

Once a selection is made, the selectee's application will be forwarded to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for approval by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board, unless the selectee is a current SES executive or has successfully participated in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program.

Required Documents

You must submit:

1. Resume supporting your experience and responses. Ensure that you address the ECQs and MTQs, uploaded as supplemental narrative documentation.

  • Your resume should list all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of each employer.
  • For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
  • For paid work experience, please indicate your starting salary for each position and the highest salary you earned (if different).
  • Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
2. ECQ Narrative (no more than 10 pages, 2 pages per ECQ, 12 pt font, 1-inch margins)

3. MTQ Narrative (no more than 2 pages per MTQ, 12 pt font)

4. Current or former career SES members must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
  • Resume which must include the following information: announcement number and job title for which you are applying; beginning and ending dates (Mo/Yr) for paid or non-paid work experience; and average number of hours worked per week.
  • Narrative statements addressing the MTQs are mandatory for consideration for this position.
5. Applicants who have successfully completed an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification.

6. Current or former Federal Civilian employees must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) documenting the following: 1) Full position title; 2) appointment type; 3) occupational series; 4) pay plan, grade, and step; 5) tenure code; 6) service computation date (SCD).

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account(https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume, veteran's documentation, completed assessment, and SF-50's) is received and accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not in legible format, applicant will not be able to view it in Application Manager which means applicant must again upload or fax the documentation by the closing date of this announcement.

Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail or e-mail. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

Agency contact information

Client Services EOP - OA
Address
Office of the United States Trade Representative
725 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20503
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

When the application process is complete, you will receive a confirmation notification by email and your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements for which you requested consideration. After the qualification determinations are complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

A tentative job offer will be sent to the selectee. A security background investigation and drug screening will be conducted at that time. If the drug screening is negative and security background is cleared, then a formal job offer will be extended to candidate.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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